Gaming machines are generally games of luck, not skill. Slot machines owe certain of their popularity to the fact that a player can play a slot machine at the player's own pace with no required skills. Most slot machines are set to pay off between 80 and 99 percent of wagers of the players. Nevertheless, players constantly try to inject skill or know-how into gaming devices with the hope of turning the odds in their favor.
For example, there is a consensus as to good and bad slot machine locations. Some players believe that, the worst slot machines for the player are the machines near the gaming tables, such as blackjack, baccarat, roulette, etc. because the players of these games do not want to be distracted by the noise and commotion created by big slot machine winners. Some players believe that, for the same reason, machines near patrons betting on sporting events and horse races are not good. Some players believe that the best machines are those that are the most visible to others so that other players, or potential players, can see big payouts. Some players believe that the machines near cafes or coffee shops are rumored to be good to encourage patrons to finish quicker and return to gaming. Some players believe that machines near change booths supposedly have higher instances of big payouts to entice people in line purchasing tokens to buy more.
Another widely held belief is that slot machines go through a pay cycle, wherein the machines will payout a number of coins to meet the programmed percentage payout after a predetermined period. Players that believe a pay cycle exists may also believe that a non-payout cycle exists, wherein the machine does not payout after a big payout or a pay cycle. The object of players subscribing to the these cycle theories is to play the machines at the right time.
However, it should be appreciated that gaming machines or slot machines are programmed or set to randomly pay back a certain percentage. There are certain known methods to maximizing gaming device payouts. One such method, for instance, is betting the maximum amount which increases the payouts.
Bonus games of slot machines can also have strategy decisions for the player to make. For example, the commercially successful TOP DOLLAR® gaming machine lets the player decide to accept an award offer or reject it in the hopes of generating a higher award offer. The game displays the potential award offers to the player and provides a limited number of chances to achieve a higher award offer. The player must therefore use strategy to pick a prudent time to keep an award offer. The player wants to maximize their award but not get stuck with a low offer. The offer that the player keeps or is left with is randomly generated which makes the outcome dependent on luck.
Even though certain other gaming machines such as video poker or blackjack also involve certain strategy and decision-making, their outcomes ultimately turn upon mathematics and probability. For instance, video draw poker requires the player to keep good cards and replace bad cards. In deciding which cards are good, the player employs strategy, e.g., keep like numbered cards, cards of a same suit or if nothing else, high cards. The hand that the player is originally dealt, and the player's replacement cards, however, are a function of luck, not skill. Thus, while strategy affects the player's outcome in draw poker, luck ultimately determines the outcome.
Most gaming jurisdictions do not allow games of pure skill. Some jurisdictions, however, such as the State of North Carolina require that the game involve skill. There is no doubt that skill games are fun, exciting and interactive. A need therefore exists for a gaming device that can be easily adapted between a pure skill game and a skill game that combines skill and luck or a game having perceived skill.